Wristwatch provided with a flexible band



June 20, 1967 BRUNA CAMOLETTI 3,

NEE CONTI WRISTWATCH PROVIDED WITH A FLEXIBLE BAND Filed Nov. 20, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 1967 BRUNA CAMOLETTI 3,326,429

NEE CONTI WRISTWATCH PROVIDED WITH A FLEXIBLE BAND Filed Nov. 20, 1964 2 SheeLs-Sheet & a 2 7 a I ,Q 20 6 @Q/a W 12 5 2 7 3 2 United States Patent 3,326,429 WRISTWATCH PROVIDED WITH A FLEXIBLE BAND Bruna Camoletti, nee Conti, Chemin du Port-Nair, Geneva, Switzerland Filed Nov. 20, 1964, Ser. No. 412,769 Claims priority, application Switzerland, Nov. 28, 1963, 14,573/ 63 2 Claims. (Cl. 224-4) It has been noted that when worn, Wristwatches provided with a flexible band, in particular metallic, have a tendency to turn around the wrist if the band is not sufiiciently tightened, so that at a given moment instead of being on the wrist, the watch is on the side or under the wrist.

The present invention aims at overcoming this drawback and the Wristwatch which is the subject thereof is characterized by the fact that it comprises a rigid member lying on or against at least part of the case and on at least part of half of the band, so that, when worn, the hinge action between the case and the said half of the band is eliminated as well as the obligation of tightening the band on the wrist so as to prevent it from turning.

The elimination of this hinge action in combination with the action of the rigid member prevents the wristwatch from turning about the wrist.

The accompanying drawing shows, by way of example, four embodiments of the wristwatch which is the subject of the present invention.

FIGURE 1 is a view in perspective of the first embodimeut.

FIGURE 2 is a view in perspective of a variant of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a partial view in perspective of the second embodiment.

FIGURE 4 is a variant of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is also a view in perspective of the third embodiment.

FIGURE 6 is a View in perspective of a variant of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 7 is a partial view in perspective of a variant of the fourth embodiment.

FIGURES 8 and 9 are views of details of this embodiment.

In the four embodiments shown, the wristwatch is provided with a metallic band the closure of which has not been shown but only one or both halves 1 and 2 fixed to the case 3. A rigid member 4 lies over part of the half of the band 2 and has an incurved part 4' so as to conform to the shape of the users wrist. The hinge action between the case 3 and the half of the band 2 is thus eliminated when the watch is worn, which means that the surface of contact between the watch and the users wrist includes not only the back of the case but further the entire inner surface of the rigid member 4.

In FIGURES 1 and 2, the part 5 of the rigid member 4 lies under the back 3 of the case 3.

In the embodiment of FIGURE 1, the case 3 of the wristwatch is provided with bows 6 for the attachment of the ends of the band by means of hinge spindles or of small bars (not shown. The rigid member 4 has a part 5 lying against the case 3 and partially covering its back 3. This rigid member 4 comprises lugs 7 to support the hinge spindle of the half 2 of the band, which for rea- 3,326,429 Patented June 20, 1967 sons of drawing clarity has not been shown in FIGURE 1, between the bows 6.

In the variant of FIGURE 2, the rigid member 4 is welded at 8 to the half of the band 2, the lugs 7 being eliminated and only the end of the band being hinged at 9 on the case 3.

The embodiment shown in FIGURE 3 is differentiated from the preceding one by the fact that half the flexible band 2 has a rigid part 4 hinged at 10 on the watch case 3. The end 11 of this rigid member 4- is shaped so as to abut the case 3 when the watch is worn so as to eliminate the hinge action between the case and the band. This half of the band could be entirely rigid.

In the variant of FIGURE 4, the end 12 of the half band 2 is rigid and hinged on the case 3 as in the embodiment of FIGURE 3, that is to say by forming an abutment against the case so as prevent the band 2 from opening any further. The rigid member 4 is welded at 13 under the band.

The wristwatch shown in FIGURE 5 includes a case 3 devoid of bows for the attachment of the ends of the band as in the preceding embodiments. Half the band 2 has a rigid end part 14 welded at 15 directly to the case 3 so that, during use, the hinge action between this case and the said half band 2 is eliminated. The rigid member 4 is welded at 16 to the rigid part 14 of the band 2.

In the variant of FIGURE 6, the flexible end of half of the band 2 is welded directly to the case 3 at 17 and the rigid member 4 is also welded at 18 to this case, under the welded end of the band so as to support the flexible part of this half band 2 and prevent the hinge action between the case 3 and the band 4.

In the embodiment of FIGURES 7 to 9, the rigid mem' ber 4 has an end hinged to the case 3 with the half band 2 and lugs 19 to support a hinge spindle or small bar (not shown) passing through the holes 20 of the lugs 19. The half band 2 shown in dot and dash lines in FIGURE 7 is entirely flexible and also hinged on the small bar between the two lugs 19. The end 21 of each of these lugs 19, directed towards the case 3, forms an abutment adapted to bear against this case when the watch is worn, so as to eliminatethe hinge action between the case and the band 2, The bows 6 of the case 3 are hollowed out at 22 to receive the lugs 19 of the rigid member 4.

FIGURE 8 is a view in perspective ot the rigid member 4 of this embodiment, and FIGURE 9 shows, in side elevation and in section, the hinged mounting of this member on the case 3.

In all these variants, the abutments described permit the hinge action between the band 2 and the case 3 to be eliminated when the watch is worn, which results in preventing the watch from turning on the wrist.

The rigid member of the wristwatch described may be adapted to any existing watch, either removably or permanently, for example by welding on the back as indicated above.

The advantage of the wristwatch described lies in the fact that, due to the rigid member, the watch does not turn around the wrist but rests in the desired position thereon without the band having to be tightened on the wrist.

What I claim is:

1. In a wristwatch comprising a watch case having a flexible band connected to each side thereof the improvement comprising, connecting means on the case for attaching the band to the case by means of hinge spindles,

3 4 a rigid wrist-engaging member coupled to the watch case References Cited via lugs on said member which receive said hinge spindles, UNITED STATES PATENTS the rigid member extending along at least a part of said band, such that When the wristwatch is worn, the rigid 2191314 2/1940 Davi s 224 4-11 member inhibits the hinge action between the case and 5 2,220,490 4/1942 Keme 224-4 the flexible band and prevent the turning of said watch 5 22 22? ab out the wrist.

2. The wristwatch of claim 1 wherein the rigid mem- I ber extending along a part of said band is inwardly curved GERALD FORLENZA P'lmm y Examme' to conform to the shape of the wrist. 10 J. E. OLDS, Assistant Examiner- 

1. IN A WRISTWATCH COMPRISING A WATCH CASE HAVING A FLEXIBLE BAND CONNECTED TO EACH SIDE THEREOF THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING, CONNECTING MEANS ON THE CASE FOR ATTACHING THE BAND TO THE CASE BY MEANS OF HINGE SPINDLES, A RIGID WRIST-ENGAGING MEMBER COUPLED TO THE WATCH CASE VIA LUGS ON SAID MEMBER WHICH RECEIVE SAID HINGE SPINDLES, THE RIGID MEMBER EXTENDING ALONG AT LEAST A PART OF SAID BAND, SUCH THAT WHEN THE WRISTWATCH IS WORN, THE RIGID MEMBER INHIBITS THE HINGE ACTION BETWEEN THE CASE AND THE FLEXIBLE BAND AND PREVENTS THE TURNING OF SAID WATCH ABOUT THE WRIST. 